clock;
calendar clock;
eight-day clock;
equation clock;
regulator;
skeleton clock;
table clock;
timepiece;
weight-driven clock
- Museum number
- 2015,8044.1
- Description
-
Three-wheeled skeleton table regulator with Gregorian and Republican calendars
Case
The movement of the clock is mounted on a red marble base, being secured by nuts underneath. A glazed cover rests upon the base, providing some protection to the movement.
The base is formed of two rectangular blocks of red marble, likely to be rouge griotte marble (from France).
Mounted on the front of the top section of the base is the monogram "N". This is formed of diamonds, set in what is probably silver. The "N" is surmounted by a crown, similarly set. These are surrounded by laurels in gold or gilt metal.
The cover is formed of five bevelled glass panes in a gilded brass frame. The front pane is removable, sliding-in from the top. The front top frame element is removable to facilitate this. The front pane has two holes to facilitate winding and setting of the calendar. The front pane must be moved to enable the clock to be started and otherwise adjusted, including setting the time.
Dials
The clock has three dials, for the calendar, hours and minutes and in addition has the days of the week inscribed on the front movement bar. All inscriptions are in French.
The calendar ring assembly comprises two silvered rings mounted on a brass wheel wheel 365 ratchet type teeth. These are indexed by a ratchet and pawl system that is activated once a day by a stout pin on the hour ring. The calendar ring thus rotates once in 365 days. The date is indicated at the top of the calendar rings by a thread that is the line of a plumb line that is used to level the clock. The plumb line may be adjusted laterally by means of screw set into the cock that bears the riser block for the plumb line.
The lower dial bears two silvered brass rings, the outer for Gregorian calendar and the inner for the Revolutionary calendar. The months of the Gregorian calendar are inscribed; "JANVIER", "FÉVRIER", "MARS", "AVRIL", "MAY", "JUIN", "JUILLET", "AOUST", "SEPTEMBRE", "OCTOBRE", "NOVEMEBRE" and "DÉCEMBRE". The days are marked 10, 20 and 28/30/31.
On the inner ring, the months of the Republican calendar are inscribed (starting from the Autnal equinox); "Vendemiaire", "Brumaire", "Frimaire", "Nivose", "Pluviose", "Ventose", "Germinal", "Floreal", "Prairial", "Messidor", "Thermidor" and "Fructidor". The months are of 30 days each, marked 10, 20 and 30 with divsions of 1 day. Five unmarked days precede Vendemiaire which are "les jours complémentaires", national holidays in the Republican calendar. The ring can be rotated within the outer ring to allow adjustment for leap years against the Greogrian calendar.
The hour ring is born on the great wheel of the clock, which rotates once in 24 hours. It is marked for 24 hours twice 1-12. 10 minutes are marked 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50, with the half-hour 30 being prominent on its own track line. Five minutes are marked by a pip. Subdivisions are for 2 minutes. The hour ring is friction-mounted by means of blued-steel flat springs that are screwed into each of the wheel's 6 crossings. This allows for time-setting.
- Production date
- c1795 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 61 centimetres
-
Width: 35.50 centimetres
-
Depth: 22.90 centimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
-
- Location
- On display (G39/dc10)
- Acquisition date
- 2015
- Acquisition notes
- Accepted in lieu of Inheritance Tax by H M Government and allocated to the British Museum in 2015.
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 2015,8044.1